MANY WERE INTRODUCED to David Corenswet through 2025’s Superman, in which the actor burst onto the big screen bearing the outsized muscles expected of the Man of Steel. But prior to Superman, Corenswet wasn’t exactly known for his physique.
Corenswet gained 18kg to play Superman, which was no easy task. He trained for two hours a day on a standard push-pull-legs split. It was worth it in the end, as Superman was one of the biggest hits of the year. Now, it appears Corenswet isn’t ready to let his hard work fade away and has maintained a bulked-up physique for his next role.
In his next film, Corenswet is playing John Tuggle, an American football running back who was the 335th and final player selected in the 1983 NFL draft. Players chosen with the last pick are known as ‘Mr. Irrelevant’, as they rarely make the final roster of the team that drafted them. Tuggle became the first Mr. Irrelevant in NFL history to make the team that drafted him and found some success in his years with the New York Giants, but he was diagnosed with cancer just two years into his career and passed away in 1986.
Tuggle was known as a Swiss Army knife of a player. He was a do-it-all utility who played as a running back, fullback, kick returner and special teamer. At 185cm tall with 95kg of brawny muscle, it goes without saying that he was in decent shape. It seems that, to accurately portray Tuggle, Corenswet has kept to the stringent workout routine he first employed to play Superman.
David Corenswet's workout routine
Corenswet’s trainer, Paolo Mascitti, provided details on the actor’s workout routine back in 2025. According to Mascitti, Corenswet’s training is built around longer sessions over two hours in length. “He’s very busy right now so we’re only fitting in three or four sessions a week, but he’s still working out for two hours a day,” Mascitti said.
He utilises the standard three-day cycle of push, pull and legs, with a focus on compound movements. “We focus on moments like presses, pull ups, pull downs, rows” Mascitti said. “We switched a little bit after a while, but kept the focus on progressive overload to encourage muscle growth, keeping track of reps and weight and trying to advance each week.”
In addition to revealing his push, pull and legs rotation, Mascitti revealed Corenswet’s push day workout, which he uses to build mass.
- Incline dumbbell press – 4 sets, 10 reps
- Bench press and cable fly superset – 4 sets of each, 10 reps of each
- Seated overhead shoulder press and lat raises superset – 4 sets of each, 10 reps of each
- Reverse tricep extensions and bicep curl superset – 4 sets of each, 10 reps of each
Mr. Irrelevant: The John Tuggle Story is in cinemas from December 26, 2026.
